Privacy Policy
LAST UPDATED: April 24, 2024
Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) requires all businesses located within provinces that have not adopted equivalent legislation to create a privacy policy that explains how and why they collect consumers’ personal information. In addition, Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) also imposes additional obligations with respect to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information. This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which Albano Psychotherapy Professional Corporation operating as Feelings First Counselling & Wellness collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a “User”) of its website located at feelingsfirstwellness.ca (“Site”).
If you reside in the European Union (“EU”), United Kingdom, Lichtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, you may have additional rights with respect to your personal identification information and personal health information, as further outlined below. These rights may include rights under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), if you are a resident of the EU, United Kingdom, Lichtenstein, Norway or Iceland.
This privacy policy (“Policy”) explains how Feelings First Counselling & Wellness (collectively, “Albano Psychotherapy Professional Corporation” or the “Business" or “Company” or "We” or “Us”) collect, use, process, disclose and retain your personal data when you access our website, engage with us on social media, or otherwise interact with us (collectively “Services”).
We respect your privacy and are committed to safeguarding your personal information entrusted to us. Please read this policy carefully to understand our policies and practices for collecting, processing, and storing your information. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is not to use our Services. By accessing or using our Services, you indicate that you understand, accept, and consent to the practices described in this policy.
REVISION TO THIS POLICY
We may amend this Policy from time to time. When revisions are made, we will notify you by revising the date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Policy regularly to stay informed about our information practices. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date, active, and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting this policy to check
Personal identification information
We may collect personal identification information from Users in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, when Users visit our site, register on the site, place an order, fill out a form, respond to a survey, and in connection with other activities, services, features or resources we make available on our Site. Users may be asked for, as appropriate, name, email address, mailing address, phone number. Users may, however, visit our Site anonymously. We will collect personal identification information from Users only if they voluntarily submit such information to us. Users can always refuse to supply personally identification information, except that it may prevent them from engaging in certain Site related activities. Publicly available information, such as a public directory listing of your name, address, and telephone number are not considered to be personal identification information.
Personal health information
In addition to personal identification information, this Privacy Policy also applies to any personal health information collected from Users which includes any information about an individual, whether in oral or recorded form, that identifies the individual or could enable such identification and that relates to the individual’s health, medical history or past or future medical treatment.
We collect and use several types of information from and about you, including:
Personal information, that we can reasonably use to directly or indirectly identify you, such as your name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, user name or other similar identifier, billing and account information, and any other identifier we may use to contact you ("personal information").
Demographic data, we may collect demographic data when you fill out forms or surveys or sign up for and participate in events that we provide. Examples of such information may include age and gender.
Non-personal identification information
We may collect non-personal identification information about Users whenever they interact with our Site through log files. Non-personal identification information may include the browser name, the type of computer and technical information about Users means of connection to our Site, such as the operating system, browser type, date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and the Internet service providers utilized and other similar information. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users' movement on the website, and gathering demographic information.
We collect and use several types of information from and about you, including:
Transaction data, we collect transaction information related to your psychotherapy needs. If you book or schedule appointments, we work with third-party payment processors to process your payment information. Examples of information include amount charged, payment method, and credit card information.
Technical information, including your login information, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system, or information about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Services, and usage details.
How we collect information about you
We use different methods to collect your information, including through:
Direct interactions with you when you provide it to us, for example, by filling in forms or corresponding with us by phone, email, or otherwise.
The information we collect directly from you may include:
Information that you provide by filling in forms on our Website, over the phone or in person at our office.
Records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses), if you contact us.
Your responses to surveys that we might ask you to complete for research purposes.
Details of transactions including history of appointments with us.
You may also provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, "posted") on public areas of our Services or transmitted to other users or third parties (collectively, "User Contributions"). Your User Contributions are posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. Please be aware that no security measures are perfect. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other users with whom you may choose to share your User Contributions. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that unauthorized persons will not view your User Contributions.
Web browser cookies
Our Site may use “cookies” to enhance User experience. User’s web browser places cookies on their hard drive for record-keeping purposes and sometimes to track information about them. User may choose to set their web browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If they do so, note that some parts of the Site may not function properly.
Details of your visits including traffic data, location data, logs, and other communication data and the resources that you access and use on our Services. Information about your computer and internet connection, including your IP address, operating system, and browser type.
The information we collect automatically is statistical information and may include personal information. It helps us to improve our Services and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including by enabling us to:
Estimate our audience size and usage patterns.
Store information about your preferences.
Recognize you when you return to use our Services.
The technologies we may use for this automatic data collection may include:
Cookies (or browser cookies). A cookie is a small file placed on the hard drive of your computer. You may refuse to accept browser cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your browser. However, if you select this setting, you may be unable to access certain parts of our Services. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you direct your browser to our Services.
Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Services may use local stored objects (or Flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to, from, our Services. Flash cookies are not managed by the same browser settings that are used for browser cookies.
Web Beacons. Some of our Services may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity).
How we use collected information
Feelings First Counselling & Wellness may collect and use Users personal information for the following purposes:
– To run and operate our Site
We may need your information display content on the Site correctly.
– To improve customer service
Information you provide helps us respond to your customer service requests and support needs more efficiently.
– To personalize user experience
We may use information in the aggregate to understand how our Users as a group use the services and resources provided on our Site.
– To improve our Site
We may use feedback you provide to improve our products and services.
– To run a survey or other Site feature
To send Users information they agreed to receive about topics we think will be of interest to them.
– To send periodic emails
We may use the email address to send User information and updates pertaining to their order. It may also be used to respond to their inquiries, questions, and/or other requests.
– To provide you with services that you request from us
– To complete transactions for services, including processing payments via third-parties
– To carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts with you, including for billing and collection or to comply with legal requirements
– To notify you about changes to our Services
– To respond to communications and requests from you
– To detect and protect against malicious, deceptive, or illegal activity, including fraudulent transactions, error, negligence and breach of contract, security incidents, and harm to the rights, property or safety of our Company and our users, customer, employees or others
– To comply with our legal or regulatory obligations, including our tax obligations and those related to the prevention of fraud and money laundering
– In any other way we may describe when you provide the information
– For any other purpose with your consent
Notwithstanding the foregoing, personal health information collected from an individual through our Site will only be used for the purposes of providing healthcare services to the individual. Before using any personal health information beyond that for which the information was collected, we will seek express consent from individual except where the information:
is needed to prevent serious bodily harm or reduce a significant risk of harm to any person;
is being collected for the purpose of educating our staff on the provision of healthcare;
is being used to manage risks and errors or to improve the quality of healthcare services; or
must be disclosed by law.
Accuracy, Access and Correction
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal identification information and personal health information that we collect is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Upon request and verification of identity, our Users will be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of their personal identification information and personal health information and given access to that information in accordance with PIPEDA and PHIPA. When a User demonstrates the inaccuracy or incompleteness of their personal identification information or personal health information, we will take reasonable steps to promptly correct the information.
How we protect your information
We adopt appropriate data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal information, username, password, transaction information and data stored on our Site. This includes, for example, firewalls, password protection and other access and authentication controls. We also use SSL technology to encrypt data during transmission through public internet, and we also employ application-layer security features as further protection.
While no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure, if we learn of a security systems breach, we will inform you and the authorities of the occurrence of the breach in accordance with applicable law.
Sharing your personal information
We do not sell, trade, or rent the personal identification of our Users to others. We may share generic aggregated demographic information not linked to any personal identification information regarding visitors and users with our business partners, trusted affiliates and advertisers for the purposes outlined above.
Data retention
When you request a consultation or post a comment through the Site, we will maintain your information for our records for a limited period of time as long as we need it to fulfill the purposes for which we have initially collected it, unless otherwise required by law, unless and until you ask us to delete this information.
In addition, all personal health information is retained in accordance with the required retention time as prescribed under PHIPA. We will retain your personal information for a minimum of 10 years after the last interaction with a client, or for 10 years after the client’s 18th birthday, whichever is later.
Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal data we hold if such personal data is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected.
Electronic newsletters
If a User decides to opt-in to our mailing list, they will receive emails that may include company news, updates, related product or service information, etc.
Third party websites
Users may find advertising or other content on our Site that link to the sites and services of our partners, suppliers, advertisers, sponsors, licensors and other third parties. We do not control the content or links that appear on these sites and are not responsible for the practices employed by websites linked to or from our Site. In addition, these sites or services, including their content and links, may be constantly changing. These sites and services may have their own privacy policies and customer service policies. Browsing and interaction on any other website, including websites which have a link to our Site, is subject to that website’s own terms and policies.
Breach notification
All known or suspected privacy breaches must be reported to our Chief Privacy Officer as soon as reasonably possible. We have a responsibility to ensure that privacy breaches are properly contained, investigated and that further privacy breaches are prevented. All of our patients will be informed of the loss, theft, or inappropriate access, use or disclosure of their personal health information as soon as reasonably possible, as required by PHIPA. Under PHIPA we also have mandatory privacy breach reporting requirements to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario as well as to relevant regulatory colleges.
Accessing and correcting your personal information
It is important that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal information changes. By law you have the right to request access to and to correct the personal information that we hold about you. You can review and change your personal information by logging into our Services and visiting your account profile page.
If you want to review, verify, correct, or withdraw consent to the use of your personal information you may also send us an email at info@kristenalbanopsychotherapy.ca to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that you have provided to us.
We may request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and your right to access, and to provide you with the personal information that we hold about you or make your requested changes. If we cannot provide you with access to your personal information, we will inform you of the reasons why, subject to any legal or regulatory restrictions.
Withdrawing your consent
Where you have provided your consent to the collection, use, and transfer of your personal information, you may have the legal right to withdraw your consent under certain circumstances. To withdraw your consent, if applicable, contact us at info@kristenalbanopsychotherapy.ca. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide you with a particular product or service. We will explain the impact to you at the time to help you with your decision.
Your acceptance of these terms
By using this Site, you signify your acceptance of this policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our Site. Your continued use of the Site following the posting of changes to this policy will be deemed your acceptance of those changes.
Contacting us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this site, please contact us at info@kristenalbanopsychotherapy.ca
We have procedures in place to receive and respond to complaints or inquiries about our handling of personal information. We will describe the complaint procedures to anyone who makes inquiries or lodges complaints.
If you are not satisfied with our response after making a complaint, you may have recourse to additional remedies under PIPEDA and/or PHIPA. For further information, please contact the federal Privacy Commissioner or the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, as applicable.